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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. L. P. HOUDE. COMBINED SLEIGH AND CARRIAGE.

No. 598,291. Patented Feb. 1,1898.

Attorneys zmpipw b'filvvayiova Inventor Q (No Model. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. vL. P. HOUDE. COMBINED SLEIGH AND GARRIAGE.

No. 598,291. Patented Feb. 1,-1'898.

Witnesses {mp W05 ljh'wwqwq aqlnventbr I BY 77imwf um I Attorneys 5 NTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEAN LOUIS PHILIPPE I'IOUDE, OF MONTREAL, CANADA.

COMBINED SLEIGH AND CARRIAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 598,291, dated February1, 1898.

Application filed October 21, 1897. Serial No. 655,904:- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JEAN LoUIs PHILIPPE HOUDE, a citizen of the Dominionof Canada, and a resident of the city and district of Montreal, Provinceof Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSleighs and Carriages Combined; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to improvements in combined sleighs and wagons.

The objects of my invention are to provide a sleigh-body with arunning-gear in order that it may be used as a sleigh or as a wagon orjaunting-oar and to provide shafts therefor which when used inconnection with the sleigh are pivotally connected therewith, but whichwhen used in connection with the wagon are secured against anyindependent movement whatever.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will beneat and attractive in appearance and durable in its construction.

To these ends my invention consists in the improved construction andcombination of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate similarparts in all'of the views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improveddevice when used as a sleigh, the running-gear being shown as thrown upout of position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the device used as awagon. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation, the parts being in the positionsshown in Fig. 1. Fig. i is a view showing the axle for the running-gear.Fig. 5 is a view showing the manner in which the shafts are securedagainst movement, the view being a detail one.

A designates a sleigh-body having runners a and footboards at. These areall of the ordinary form of construction and form no particular. portionof my invention.

Secured to one side and pivotally mounted on one of the runners at is abar a having its rear end bent downward, as at a the rounded end beingsharpened and adapted to extend downward through an opening formed intherunner a. To the front end of the bar a is pivotally secured an uprightbar or handle a adapted to be extended upward a sufficient distance toallow of the upper end being grasped by a person seated in the sleigh,the upper end being formed into a grip a The front edge of the bar a isprovided with notches a, which are adapted to receive one of the ends ofan angular clip ON, by means of which the bar a may be held at anypredetermined position. To firmly keep the bar a in engagement with theclip 0. I provide a suitable spring a This construction forms anefficient brake for the sleigh and is intended to be used to prevent anysidewise movement when the sleigh. is being drawn over the ice,especially when it is desired to make a turn. While I have shown anddescribed but one of these attachments, it is to be understood that twomay be provided,one on each side,without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Suitably mounted on opposite sides of the sleigh, below the footboardsa, is a carriagespring b of suitable construction, to the center ofwhich are secured bearings 12. To the rear standards and the under faceof the footboards is secured a plate 19 provided with a longitudinalslot b Mounted in said plates b and extending the entire width of thesleighbody is an axle b constructed as shown in Fig. 4, to the spindlesof which are secured carriage-wheels of the usual construction andmounted in any suit-able manner. As shown, the axle is formed inrectangular shape with one side open, the ends being provided withinwardly-extending semicircular portions 19 the free ends of whichextend outwardly and to which are attached the spindles b In using mydevice as a wagon the axle is mounted in the plates b theoutwardly-extending portions between the semicircular portions 6 and thespindles being mounted in the bearings 6, thus securing a firm mountingfor the axle.

When it is desired to use the device as a sleigh, the lower portion ofthe bearings isremoved and the axle swung rearwardly in a circulardirection, the pivotal point being the portion of the axle in thelongitudinal slots 5 and carried upward alongside of the sleighbody, asshown in Fig. 1, where it is secured by means of the spring-catch bentirely away from any contact with the road and in a position whichwill not interfere with the free movement into and out of thesleigh-body.

Suitable guards at are secured to the sleighbody to prevent the occupantfrom coming into contact with the wheels should he reach out over theside of the sleigh-body.

As it is necessary that when the device be used as a sleigh the shaftsbe mounted pivotally to allow them to move upward and downward with themovements of the animal drawing the sleigh, and as it is also necessaryto have the shafts rigidly connected against movement to the sleigh-bodywhen the device is to be used as a wagon, I have provided the followingattachment:

The shafts (0 are pivotally attached to the runners Ct in the ordinarymanner; but to the sides of the shafts I secure an elongated eye a,through which is adapted to be passed a bolt 0, having a head 0 adaptedto engage with one end of the elongated eye. The free end of the bolt isscrew-threaded and is adapted to be passed through suitable openingsformed in the runners, where the bolt is secured by suitable means, suchas nuts 0 secured on both sides of the runner. By this construction itwill be seen that a rigid connection is formed between the shafts andthe runners, the elongated eye serving to prevent the shafts from havinga pivotal movement on its bearings. When it is desired that the shaftsbe allowed to move pivotally, the nut on the inner side of the runner isremoved, and the bolt 0 pushed out of the opening in the runner andsecured along the side of the shaft by means of strap 0 The advantagesof this construction are many and include the ability to change from onestyle of vehicle to another at all times and wherever it may be foundnecessarysuch as, for instance, in large cities, where after a snowfallthe snow is removed from the streets, but not in the outlying districts.The change from one to the other can be made without much trouble, andno tools are needed beyond the ordinary carriage-wrench. The device isstrong and substantial, whether used as sleigh or wagon, and is of verylight weight. The fact that no parts of any kind are removed when thechange is made and are always ready for instant use forms a greatadvantage.

While I have shown and described the axle as of but one piece, it is tobe understood that I do not limit myself to this construction, but mayuse a sectional axle or an extensible axle, as may be necessary, and Iclaim the right to use such modifications as are necessary.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. Acombined sleigh and carriage comprising a sleigh; an axle pivotallymounted in said sleigh; wheels pivotally connected to said axles; saidwheels being adapted to be moved into and out of an operative position;bearings for said wheels when in operative position, yieldingly securedto said sleigh; and clips, secured to the side of the sleighbody, forsecuring the wheels when in inoperative position.

2. A combined sleigh and carriage comprising a sleigh; an axle pivotallyconnected thereto, the ends of said axle extending at an angle from themain portion; said ends being adapted to be moved into and out of anoperative position; spindles secured to the ends of the axle andextending outwardly therefrom in the same plane as said main portion;bearings connected to said sleigh for the ends of said axle, when inoperative position; and wheels pivotally mounted on said spindles.

3. An axle comprisinga main portion, having its end portions extendingat an angle to said main portion; an inwardly-extending semicircularportion formed near the end of each of said end portions; and spindlesconnected to said end portions beyond said semicircular portions, andarranged in the same plane as the main portion, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination with a sleigh, having a running-gear connectedthereto, said gear being adapted to be moved into and out of anoperative position; of shafts pivotally connected to said sleigh; andbolts located on said shafts adapted to be removably connected to saidsleigh when said gear is in operative position, substantially asdescribed.

5. A combined sleigh and wagon, comprising a sleigh-body having runnersand footboards; an axle, provided with wheels, pivotally connected tosaid sleigh body and adapted to be moved into and out of an operativeposition; bearings yieldingly connected to said sleigh-body for saidaxle when the same is in its operative position; shafts pivotallyconnected to said runners; and bolts, connected to said shafts, adaptedto be removably connected to said runners when said axle is in itsoperative position, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a sleigh; of a brake comprising a bar pivotallymounted on the runner of said sleigh, said bar having one end adapted tobe passed through an opening in said runner; a handle pivotallyconnected to said bar, said handle being provided with notches; a clipmounted on said sleigh adapted to engage with said notches; and a springfor holding said clip in engagement with said notches, substantially asdescribed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

JEAN LOUIS PHILIPPE l-IOUDE.

Witnesses:

J A. MARIoN, HORACE G. DErrz.

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